The Payne Archives 1: Below the Surface
by i Am Aphrodite
Summary: Alice Payne lives a abnormal crime fighting life. She fights for the Infinity League with her colleges and friends, Reeve Bronson and Colin O'Donoghue. One day Alice finds a note that will determine the life of her fiance, Liam Payne.


**The Payne Archives**

**#1**

**Below the Surface**

Reeve and I sat in the bar drinking and discussing the events in the movie we had just seen.

"I think it's really creepy how Captain America is that old and has a girlfriend." We had just been to see The Avengers 2 and we were quite unimpressed. Reeve argued about how characters needed love interests to make a good movie while I exclaimed that a movie only needs awesome catch phrases unless it's Michael Bay. Then explosions are more than enough.

We left the bar and Reeve received a phone call. "I have to take this." He walked off to his car and I could hear him mumble something like 'Mom?'

I took the subway home because I actually believe in don't-drink-and-drive. Countless hobos stared into my bag and I just ignored them. I only had my phone and money… Well it was Gucci so that could be the reason right? But hobos don't know Gucci or Chanel or Dior or-

I got so carried away in my thoughts I almost didn't hop off the subway. I walked through the allies of New York to my apartment building. I took the elevator to my penthouse and walked past my neighbour Joey's apartment. I took out my keys and unlocked the door.

I locked the door behind me and turned on the lights to find Liam sitting in a chair by the window. He had his arms on the armrest and walked towards him.

"Liam? Are you al-" I approached him and found duct tape on his hands so he was tied to the armrest and ropes around his legs. "LIAM!"

He seemed to be unconscious and he didn't have a gag. I loosened the ropes and took off the duct tape. I shook him but he didn't wake up. I noticed something hiding in the pocket of his jeans.

I took out the little scroll and read its tiny text.

_If you want your fiancé to awake, travel underneath the mysterious lake._

"What?!" My heart was pounding. Wouldn't Liam wake up? What lake?

I felt like I was having a heart attack. I grabbed my phone from my bag and I dialled the League's number.

"Ello Alice. I don't think you've actually called the emergency number before… Say, are you have an emergency?" It was the idiot Marty from reception. "Ugh YES YES YES! Please tell Reeve and Colin to get to my penthouse right away. I don't know what to do. MARTY WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING ON THE PHONE WITH ME? CALL THEM!"

"Okay okay… uh... uh… I'll call you when they're on their way. Bye."

I hung up the phone and stared at Liam.

This is my fault.

"When did you get home?" Reeve and Colin had just arrived at the penthouse and began questioning me on how I found Liam. "Around ten…"

"When did you last see Liam?" "About 2:00 pm why?"

"I want to know how big of a head start these guys had." Colin had been jotting down notes like a mad man. "Right."

"Reeve what are you doing?" Reeve was working on my laptop. He scrolled down and typed viciously. "You know the note the people left behind?"

I nodded and he picked up the note. "The best chance we have of getting Liam ship-shape is to track down where 'the mysterious lake' is. I've already found three lakes in a four mile radius from your penthouse. Right now I'm looking for lakes with mysterious nicknames."

I nodded my head. "Any luck?" "Not so far but- I GOT A HIT! About a mile away is 'Lake Misty' short for 'Lake Mysterious'. Let's go."

"What about Liam? We can't leave him here!" I exclaimed. Colin packed up his gear. "We'll drop him off at HQ. Marty will take him to the doctors. He will be FINE."

I nodded at packed some stuff and put on my gear. I packed some L.I.T. just in case. (A GIRL HAS NEEDS)

We were almost out the apartment when I stopped at the door. Colin and Reeve stopped at the door and turned around. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think I can do this. I can't." Reeve looked disappointed. "But Alice, you can do anything."

"Why?"

"Because you're Alice Payne."

"You're sure this is it?" We stood beside of an awfully smelly lake that was polluted and filthy. The first few seconds we approached it I heard Colin gag.

"Yes. I'm quite unimpressed though. I had expected waves of gangsters if you know what I mean." Reeve made a joking face and I just rolled my eyes. "So are we supposed to dive INTO that?"

Colin looked very green, almost the same colour as the lake ironically.

"I think they've tricked us. No one could have possibly gone underneath that and survived." I shook my head.

"Wanna' bet?" I jumped when a guy came walking our way. In the distance I saw a warehouse. "Who are you?"

"The name's Trite. And who might you be?" He glanced over to me and I looked back at him. 'The names Payne, Alice Payne. That's Reeve Bronson and Colin o'Donoghue." I pointed at the two guys not losing eye contact with the dude.

"And what might you be doing at Lake Mysterious." I heard Colin grab his knife in his back pocket. "Why might ask you the same, mate."

Trite backed away and I held a hand back to show Colin he should stop. "Has anyone ever been down there? In the lake?"

Trite chuckled. "Sure." "Well do you know who?"

Again he chuckled and took out a remote from his pocket. "Well of course I do. Frankly I've been down there more times than I can count."

When he finished his sentence he pushed a button on his remote and a submarine floated to the surface. I gasped and he walked to the submarine.

I heard Reeve mumble something about The Beatles and the colour yellow. "Ladies first." Trite acted as an usher and pointed to the door. It was a very fancy submarine and I started walking forward towards it.

Just then Colin put a hand in front of me and blocked my path. "Woah, woah, woah. Why are you helping us?"

He grinned. "I'm just curious as to why you want to go into my lake. Few people have actually entered it. Less have gotten out." He chuckled.

"C'mon Colin. I'm sure he doesn't mean any harm. Besides, what choice do we have?" He shook his head and finally nodded in agreement.

I stepped into the submarine and Trite followed me in. Suddenly the doors closed behind us. "What are you-" He laughed and his hands were around mine. Before I knew it I had ropes around them. I tried to wriggle free but his grip was hard.

"What the heck are you trying to do?!" I kicked him in the knee and ran to the doors. "Not so fast-" He reached me and injected something in my neck.

I screeched. "COLIN! REEVE!" I started getting really light headed and sank to my needs. I looked at the syringe in his hand. "You have no idea who you're messing with."

He laughed. "Oh I know exactly who I'm_ messing _with." Then he pulled out a picture of me and Liam on the day we first met at the comic store.

I didn't even gasp, all I did was black out.

***REEVE***

"ALICE?!" Colin was kneeling by the water screaming out for Alice but I knew that wouldn't help. Trite and Alice were gone. And we needed to get them back.

"C'mon Colin let's go back to HQ." He turned around and looked at me like he couldn't believe what I had just said. "Are you CRAZY? Alice just vanished beneath the surface of the lake and hasn't resurfaced and you want to go to HQ? We have to get her!"

"I know you idiot." I packed up my things. "I need to go to HQ to get some things and call some people. We are going to need something to help us get under there. AND weapons. We have no idea what's down there."

Colin nodded. "Well if there are more of those Trite fags, weapons are definitely needed." He packed up his things and we headed for the car.

I scratched my head. "Well at least one thing good came from this."

Colin obviously didn't understand. "What could possibly be good about this?"

I grinned. "It's not every day you get to use a submarine."

***ALICE***

Everything was really uncomfortable. I felt to hands around my arms and I opened my eyes. "Get your hands of me."

Two dudes were holding my arms taking me somewhere. I saw Trite walking alongside them. "Well then dear! I'm glad you're awake. I'm actually quite surprised. That injection was supposed to keep you asleep much longer."

I spat at him. "I have less pleasing surprises up my sleeve that I'd be quite happy to use if you don't tell me where I am. RIGHT NOW."

He grinned. "Dear, you wouldn't believe me if I told you." "Psht. There isn't a lot that surprises me anymore."

"Fine." He stopped the guards when we reached one big room.

"Dear, you're in Atlantis and my name isn't Trite, it's Triton. That guy over there," he pointed a man sitting on a high chair surrounded by people "that's my dad, he's called Poseidon."

I burst out laughing while everyone else there looked annoyed. "You guys are high on crack! You're physcopaths!"

"I said you wouldn't believe me." They shook their heads in disappoint. "You actually expected me to believe this?"

"Well you believe in vampires. We know you do. You've seen them. Now you've seen Gods and mermaids…" I froze.

"How do you even know that? That I met vampires. How could you possibly-" Then Poseidon spoke. "We've been keeping an eye on you. You see, we thought you could have been some use to use."

"What kind of use?" It's truly incredible how many times I've been in this situation.

"About a year ago a precious item from my kingdom was stolen. We thought you might be able to retrieve it for us."

"And what's in it for me?" Then Triton grinned. He pulled out a little bottle for his jacket. "Dear, do you know what this is?"

"No."

"Well it's a cure." He wiggled the bottle.

"For what?"

"_If you want your fiancé to awake, travel underneath the mysterious lake."_

"I… I…"

They all laughed. Idiots.

"I… I… I'm flattered." "Why?" "Well it's pleasing to know that Gods feel the need to threaten me."

"We aren't threatening you. We are simply bargaining." I shook my head and snarled. "If drugging my boyfriend, kidnapping me and then drugging me is your version of a simple introduction then I can't imagine a simple bargain."

They waited a bit and I whistled. They obviously grew tired of my whistling (which had been a distraction) and Triton asked. "Have you made your decision dear? Shall you accept our business proposal or let your fiancé _die_."

I laughed and finally undid the ropes around my hands. I silently took out my guns from my back pockets. "The only person who is going to die today is you, _dear." _I laughed at the fear in his face and shot him in the kneecap.

I badassly shot all the douches in there and ran towards the closest submarine. I sat at the control panel and did my magic. Several guards approached me and I just stuck my tongue out.

I left the palace garage (apparently those bastards weren't on crack. Hmph) and into the open water I went. Fish of all colours swam around as I ascended to the surface.

I looked into my hand and saw I had been clutching something. It was the bottle I had stolen from Triton just before I left. It had a bright purple coloured liquid inside that I believed would save Liam.

And it would save Liam. I knew it would. It had to.

***REEVE***

A few of Infinity League allies stood by the lake. Some men (and women ahem ahem) were loading the submarine into the lake while others stood by and watched.

Colin and I were 'gearing up' while waiting for the submarine to be ready. In about ten minutes all was ready and we were set to board. The captain and the crew went in and Colin and I last.

When we were about halfway in something ascended from the surface.

Another submarine. The leagues stood by and help their weapons in position. Colin was yelling at the commanders. "Put down your weapons! It might be CC Alice Payne."

I looked out and recognised the submarine. It was the exact same one that had taken Alice deep into the waters. I ran over but Colin put a hand in front of me. "Be careful, we don't know what kind of horrors might be lurking inside."

I shook my head and removed his hand. I stood by the submarine and it finally reached the surface. I saw the anxiety in Colin's face. Why was he nervous? Well, it had only been a few hours since Alice disappeared into the water and there was a low chance of her actually beginning in that submarine. Even a smaller chance that she would be alive.

_Remember. It's Alice Payne we're talking about here, the girl who single headedly killed twenty Nazis in four minutes. _But that's a story for another day… Surely Alice was ALIvE. **(Sorry I just couldn't resist)**

The door opened and I was relieved when a feminine figure stepped out.

"FREEZE, BY ORDER OF THE FURY, SAN AND INFINITY LEAGUES." Everyone was pointing guns at Alice besides the Infinity League and she looked horrified. She blinked and looked at Colin and me.

"So this is my welcome-back surprise party?" I shrugged and grinned. "How did you get back? What happened? What's that?" Colin was hysterical and pointing at the vial in Alice's hand. "It's a long story. A story I don't have time for right now."

She hopped into one of the Infinity League Lamborghinis and drove off into the direction of town. All the allies looked confused and I sent them home.

Why did I even worry in the first place?

***************************************BONUS ENDING**********************************

***ALICE***

*A FEW DAYS LATER*

"So let me get this straight. You were kidnapped by Triton who took you to Poseidon who explained they live in Atlantis and you called them high and they bargained with you for some kind of stolen object and my life and you rejected and kicked their asses and escaped in a submarine and on your way back you were ambushed by Infinity League allies? Did I get it right?"

I had been explaining to Liam what had happened. He obviously didn't understand the first few hundred times and I kept explaining it to him.

"That's about it." I munched on an ice cream sandwich and watched O.U.A.T.

"Great. My girlfriend's an enemy of one of the most power gods in the world. How shall I sleep at night?" Liam was really stressed about the whole thing and I couldn't really understand why. It's not like I haven't been in a life threating experience before.

Though… back then, Liam was in a coma.

"Well, you can hold my hand if you'd like." I smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Love ya." I had finished my ice cream sandwich and went over to the fridge to get some ice tea.

**Okie that was it :P (sorry for spelling mistakes if any)**

**The first of many Payne Archives… keep in mind that Alice terrorised many gods and therefore has something bad coming for her :o**

**Alice Payne will return.**


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